Maple turntable plinth

[tjbnwi]

I neglect to take progress pictures, work gets in the way.

I was asked to fabricate the plinth for a record turntable. The owner had read that they improve the sound of the system. My brother is an audio engineer, I have built 4 recording studios for him so I do have a little experience. The owner of the system claims it helped.

I used my TS55 to size the pieces, my Domino to align them as I glued up the pieces, my RO125 to surface the block. My 1010 was used to route the pieces.

The finish was accomplished by using the ETS 125 to sand between coats to 320 grit. Final coat was ETS sanded to 1200 grit, then Platin sanded to 4000 grit with the RO. From there it was wet sanded through 12000 grit by hand. Final polish was to 24000 grit. Mirror Glaze was then applied.
https://picasaweb.google.com/tbadernwi/MaplePlnthBlock#

Tom

 

[pugilato]

beauty... what did you use for stain?

 

[tjbnwi]

It is black dye. I water mixed it due to useing Seal Coat as my sanding sealer. The top coat(s) General Finish Arm-R-Seal.

Tom

 

[Ken Nagrod]

Really nice, Tom, but why did you need to go to 12,000 grit, then 24,000 grit?  Didn't know there was 24,000 grit in anything except maybe talc.

[thumbs up]

 

[tjbnwi]

The higher the grit, the "flatter" the surface, the "flatter" the surface the more reflective it is. I needed to get it as close to a black piano finish as I could. The wood "grain" distorts the reflection. The owner wanted to see the grain.

If this was a filled and black lacquered finish it would have been slightly more reflective. The turntable is a piano finish.

I found out today that the "legs" the turntable is sitting on are for an electron microscope, they cost $1125.00. The carbon fiber feet for the block were $700.00. Kinda crazy.

Tom

 

[peter halle]

Tom,

Beautiful work guy!  My guess is that you didn't regret having the Festool sanders.

Peter

 

[tjbnwi]

Peter,

There is not a single Festool I regret owning. There are about 100 8x50 Dominos in the blocks. Not trying to suck up, just they have always worked well for me. If I had a problem, a few moments of analyzing my process would solve the problem. One has to work "with" the tool as much as, if not more than with the tool.

Tom

 

[otis04]

Your work is beautiful, I used to know a guy into high end audio and really couldn't tell the difference.  I guess not everybody understands all the green and white boxes in my shop, either.

 

[tjbnwi]

The turntable that is sitting on the plinth is about $20,000.00 with the arm and cartridge. It is at the low end of audiophile equipment. It does sound amazing.

This is the high end of the field, $100,000.00, for the turntable, arm and cartridge interface. It does not include the cartridge, you need to add your favorite, an additional $5000.00-$10,000.00 for a top of the line one;

http://www.walkeraudio.com/Walker-Reference.html

Tom

 

[Ken Nagrod]

The higher the grit, the "flatter" the surface, the "flatter" the surface the more reflective it is. I needed to get it as close to a black piano finish as I could. The wood "grain" distorts the reflection. The owner wanted to see the grain.

If this was a filled and black lacquered finish it would have been slightly more reflective. The turntable is a piano finish.

I found out today that the "legs" the turntable is sitting on are for an electron microscope, they cost $1125.00. The carbon fiber feet for the block were $700.00. Kinda crazy.

Tom

Tom,

I'm well aware of grits and finishes which is why I ask again, you couldn't get a mirror finish in the 2000-8000 grit range after machine polishing and buffing?  Also could you give us some details about what products you used it that ultra high grit range?  Thank you.

 

[tjbnwi]

The high grit wets I use are Micro-Mesh micro-surface.com, I believe. They cut at one ten thousandths of an inch (.0001).

The first polish I use is FFFF rottenstone mixed in polishing oil. The liquid polishes I use are Mequiars automotive products. Showcar Glaze through Mirror Glaze. I did not wax this piece. If you do wax the piece, do not use a cleaner wax, it will be more abrasive than the glazing polishes.

All of the above is also dependent, on the applied finish. This was an oil modified urethane. If it was a lacquere I would have used a different schedule. A water based or conversion varnish would have also been done with a different schedule.

My finish background is in the automotive finish end. This is nothing compared to what we went through on a Concourse de Elegance class show car.

Tom

 

[Vindingo]

Did you fill the plinth with sand? 

Audiophiles make Festoolaholics look sane.  This sure puts my Rega P3 to shame. 

I wonder how many of those with a "golden ear" can even afford some of this stuff...  or if it is a purchased talent. 

 

[tjbnwi]

It is a glued up "solid". No place to put sand.

Tom